The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has accused the Nagaland Government of misappropriating Rs 19.56 crore worth of subsidized kerosene oil, allegedly diverting it to the open market instead of distributing it to targeted beneficiaries under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
The NPRAAF claims that the Nagaland Government violated directives from the Central Government by diverting Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) meant for distribution to the open market, as per the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2022.
According to the NPRAAF, the State Government diverted subsidized SKO valued at Rs 19.56 crore or 6113.19 kilo litres (KL) to the open market, based on a thorough examination of both Central and State data as cited in the CAG Report.
The distribution of SKO under the PDS is regulated by the Union Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), which allocates SKO to States and Union Territories (UTs) quarterly. States are mandated to lift their entire allocation within the given quarter, with no carry-forward permitted except in cases of emergencies like natural disasters.
The CAG’s investigation revealed discrepancies in the records from the Food and Civil Supplies (F&CS) Directorate, Dimapur, in August 2021. MoPNG had allocated 17,892 KL of SKO to the State during 2019-21. However, the Department reported lifting only 13,752 KL of SKO from IOCL during the same period.
Further scrutiny uncovered that the State Government had actually lifted 17,367 KL (97.07%) of SKO, resulting in a shortfall of 525 KL during 2019-21. The Department was found to have understated the SKO lifted from IOCL by 3615 KL (17,367 KL – 13,752 KL). Additionally, the State Government allocated 4,974 KL of SKO to 51 individuals/distributors, with no available records for the remaining quantity (1139.19 KL).
Upon confrontation, the Government acknowledged in September 2022 that it had lifted 17,367 KL of SKO, and out of the 12,276 KL allotted for ration cardholders, 11,253.81 KL was lifted, with utilization certificates furnished for 11,233.79 KL. Furthermore, 4,974 KL was allocated to individuals.
In response to these findings, the NPRAAF demanded the State Government initiate a departmental inquiry and hold responsible officials accountable at the earliest. It warned of pursuing further action to ensure a resolution if the State Government neglects the issue.